Companies Planning Fewest Holiday Parties Since The Recession

This year, a survey suggests that 65 percent of companies are planning to throw a holiday party. That’s the lowest percentage since 2009, when 62 percent of companies held holiday shindigs.

According to Challenger, Gray and Christmas, some believe it’s because their companies have never held one, but another reason that arose is the aftermath of the #MeToo movement. Many companies still addressing fallout from revelations of inappropriate workplace behavior.

“Other reasons for fewer holiday parties could include that a company’s workforce is primarily remote and it’s too difficult to gather for a holiday party, or perhaps companies are having parties at other times of the year. However, the fact that nearly 60 percent of companies that are having parties have real concerns about inappropriate behavior shows that HR departments nationwide are responding to this particular issue,” the survey reported.

One upside is that, for the companies that are planning holiday parties, virtually none of them reported that they would be spending less on theirs this year than they did in 2017.